Kindness Pays

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his
> way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he
> was
> hungry.
> He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost
> his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal
> he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought
> him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How
> much do I owe you?"
>
> "You don't owe me anything," she replied "Mother has taught us never
> to accept payment for a kindness." He said... "Then I thank you from
> my
heart."
>
> As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt; stronger
> physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been
> ready to give up and quit.
>
> Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors
> were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called
> in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called
> in for the
> consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came
> from, a strange light filled his eyes.
> Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
> Dressed in his doctor's gown he we nt in to see her. He recognized her
> at once. He went back to the
consultation room determined to do his
> best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the
> case.
>
> After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the
> business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked
> at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her
> room.
> She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her
> life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught ;
> her attention on the side as She read these words.....
>
> "Paid in full with one glass of milk." (Signed) Dr. Howard
> Kelly.
>
> Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed:
"Thank You,
> GOD, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."